By major
Colleges for Architecture in California
13 colleges in California award a bachelor’s degree in architecture, according to federal data. Each is rated on academics and value, with every figure linked to its source.
Highest-rated
#1
University of Southern California
Compass ScoreExceptional · Top 3%Los Angeles, CA · Value B · Academics A+
#2
University of California-Berkeley
Compass ScoreExceptional · Top 3%Berkeley, CA · Value A+ · Academics A
#3
University of California-Los Angeles
Compass ScoreExceptional · Top 4%Los Angeles, CA · Value A+ · Academics A
Where graduates earn the most
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates in this field a few years after finishing, from the College Scorecard.
| Rank | College | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona, CA Earnings $76,969 · Debt $28,040 | $76,969 | $28,040 |
| 2 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA Earnings $76,679 · Debt $15,000 | $76,679 | $15,000 |
| 3 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA Earnings $76,613 · Debt $27,500 | $76,613 | $27,500 |
| 4 | Newschool of Architecture and Design San Diego, CA Earnings $74,587 · Debt — | $74,587 | — |
| 5 | Woodbury University Burbank, CA Earnings $67,517 · Debt $41,250 | $67,517 | $41,250 |
All 13
Filter, sort and compare these colleges
| School | Compass Score | Value | Academics | Net price | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Southern California Honor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value. Los Angeles · Private nonprofit | BValue: Good (grade B): the top 55% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. | A+Academics: A+ (grade A+): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data. | $32,740 | 47,147 | |
| University of California-Berkeley Honor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value. Berkeley · Public | A+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. | AAcademics: Strong (grade A): 85 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data. | $13,481 | 45,699 | |
| University of California-Los Angeles Honor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value. Los Angeles · Public | A+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. | AAcademics: Strong (grade A): 85 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data. | $12,548 | 46,678 | |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Honor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value. San Luis Obispo · Public | AValue: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. | A-Academics: A- (grade A-): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data. | $16,665 | 22,485 | |
| University of San Francisco RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value. San Francisco · Private nonprofit | C+Value: Solid (grade C+): the rest of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. | A-Academics: A- (grade A-): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data. | $41,431 | 9,212 | |
| Southern California Institute of Architecture RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value. Los Angeles · Private nonprofit | N/AValue: Not enough information. Federal data does not cover enough of this to grade it yet. | AAcademics: Strong (grade A): 85 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data. | $43,923 | 457 | |
| California State Polytechnic University-Pomona RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value. Pomona · Public | A+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. | BAcademics: Good (grade B): 70 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data. | $11,531 | 26,848 | |
| California State University-Fresno Fresno · Public | A+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. | BAcademics: Good (grade B): 70 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data. | $7,000 | 23,986 | |
| California College of the Arts San Francisco · Private nonprofit | C+Value: Solid (grade C+): the rest of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. | A-Academics: A- (grade A-): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data. | $53,909 | 1,333 | |
| California Baptist University Riverside · Private nonprofit | B-Value: Good (grade B-): the top 75% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. | BAcademics: Good (grade B): 70 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data. | $26,285 | 11,407 | |
| Woodbury University Burbank · Private nonprofit | C+Value: Solid (grade C+): the rest of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. | B+Academics: B+ (grade B+): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data. | $33,692 | 898 | |
| Newschool of Architecture and Design San Diego · Private for-profit | C+Value: Solid (grade C+): the rest of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. | BAcademics: Good (grade B): 70 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data. | $52,570 | 280 | |
| Academy of Art University San Francisco · Private for-profit | C+Value: Solid (grade C+): the rest of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. | B-Academics: B- (grade B-): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data. | $40,613 | 6,320 |
Common questions
How many colleges in California offer a architecture degree?
13, counting colleges that award a bachelor’s degree in architecture in the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard data. Some colleges offer the field as a minor or under another name; check each college’s catalog.
How are these colleges rated?
Every college is rated from the U.S. Department of Education’s data: Academic Excellence (graduation, retention, preparation and teaching) and Value (what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and student debt). The major does not affect the grades. See the methodology.
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